Awning interlock device



Nov. 4, 1958 J. P. RAPIN 2,858,883

AWNING INTERLOCK DEVICE Filed Sept. 6, 1956 JOHN P. RAPIN A TTORNEYSUnited States Paten-tO AWNING INTERLOCK DEVICE John P. Rapin, Albany, N.Y., assignor to Charles P. Rudin, Albany, N. Y.

Application April 6, 1956, Serial No. 576,705 2 Claims. (.Cl. 160-235)This invention relates to awnings, more particularly of the type made ofa plurality of slats of sheet metal, such as aluminum, each slat havinga curled edge at each side, curled in opposite directions so that thecurlededge of one slat is engaged with the curled edge of the adjacentslat to form an articulated, or roll-up, awning fabric.

The invention more specifically, has particular reference to a means tohold the slats against longitudinal relative displacement since it hasbeen found in awnings of this kind, particularly in an awning of alength of 15 to 20 feet or more that a brisk wind will cause the fabricto lift and shift so that the adjacent slats tend to move endwiserelative to each other, which is, of course, objectionable.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a means ofpreventing such endwise motion.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a means which isinexpensive to apply, and which does not distract from the appearance ofthe awning.

Other and further objects and advantages of the device will be clearfrom the following specification, taken with the accompanying drawing,in which like characters of reference refer to like parts in the severalviews, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a part of an awning fabric with thedevice of the present invention mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational View of such a device or end clip;

Figs. 5 and 6 are plan views of a right and left hand end clip;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 77 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view, partly broken away, of a rivet used tosecure the device of the present invention to the awning;

Fig. 9 is a section, similar to section 7, showing the device of amodified form mounted on the edge of an awning slat; and

Fig. 10 illustrates a modified method of mounting the preferred form ofdevice on a slat.

Attempts have previously been made to provide such a means, but theseattempts have not born fruit, as the suggested devices have been bulky,unsightly, and expensive.

As seen in Fig. l, the device of the present invention is applied to theend of a slat and has an arm extending into the interlocked curledportions of adjacent slats.

The device comprises a small sheet of material 10 preferably of the samecharacter as the awning slats, which is formed preferably to embrace theedge of the slat on which it is mounted. This sheet of material whenmade into an end clip preferably is also formed, as more clearly seen inFigs. 5 and 6, with a slight curve to engage with the curve of the slatas shown in the drawing, and is provided with aligned apertures by whichthe device is Patented Nov. 4, 1958 "ice 2 secured to the slat. Mountedin the fold of sheet material 10 adjacent the edge of the slat is aheavy U-shaped wire 12, which has an upwardly extending portion 13 andan inwardly extending arm portion 14, extending from one edge of sheetmaterial 10, and a downwardly extending portion 15, and an inwardlyextending arm portion 16. These two inwardly extending arm portions 14and 16 are parallel to each other and are offset from the general plane.of the slat'inorderthat they may be so aligned as 'to enter-the ends ofthe interlocked curled edges. A plurality of these devices .are mountedon alternate slats along opposite marginal "edges of the assembledawning by placing the fold-over element 10 over the body of U -shapedwire 12 and preferably astride of theend of the slat, securing it inplace by rivets 17 extending through holes 11 in sheet element 10, andthrough similar holes punched in the slat. vIt will be noted that theinwardly .extendi-ngportion 14 ;will--then enter the interlocked portionof the slatton which the device is mounted and of the slat immediatelythereabove. Similarly, the inwardly extending portion 16 will enter theinterlocked curled portions of the next adjacent lower slat.

In Fig. 6, a right hand device is shown which is made to fit on the farend of the awning, as seen in Fig. 1, and in Fig. 5 a left hand deviceis shown which will fit the near end of the slat in Fig. 1. Fig. 2,therefore, is a showing of a left hand element.

The device of Fig. 9 provides a clip in which the clip 10 does notstraddle the end of the awning slats. This construction may bepreferable in some cases, and as is clearly shown in the drawing, theonly part of the device which will be visible from the top of the awningwill be the rivet heads and the roll of the clip about wire 12. However,it will be understood that the straddle type can be mounted on the slatfor added strength as shown in Fig. 10.

In use, the awning material may be shipped to a dealer as a plurality ofseparate slats. When it is desired to make an awning of any specificlength, this slat material is cut to the proper length and the necessarynumber of slats are assembled in interlocked relation. The ends ofalternate slats are punched to form holes agreeing with apertures 11 ofthe device. A right hand device is placed on the right hand end, and aleft hand device is placed on the left hand end, and each device is inoppositely dis posed position to the slat.

It will thus be seen that the objects hereinbefore set forth may readilyand efliciently be attained and, since certain changes may be made inthe above construction, and dilferent embodiments of the invention couldbe made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended thatall matter contained in the above description, or shown in theaccompanying drawings, shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a window awning to be rolled up upon itself andunrolled diagonally to project downwardly from above said window, whichawning comprises a plurality of slats of sheet metal each havinglongitudinal side edges curled in opposite directions, each slotthroughout its length being curved between said edges, and connectedtogether by the curled edges of each slat engaging with the oppositelycurled edges of adjacent slats to form a fabric flexible in thedirection normal to the length of said slats, of means to preventendwise motion of any slat with respect to adjacent slats, said meanscomprising a single generally U-shaped rod element having a centralportion shaped to lie generally in the curve of the slat and armsextending therefrom with portions adjacent said central portion offsetin opposite directions with respect to said central portion and theremaining end portions of said rod being bent in substantially parallelrelation so as to extend into said oppositely curled side edges ofalternate slats at each end and interlocking curled portions of adjacentslats, and a sheet metal member of generally rectangular shape foldedupon itself to embrace said central portion of said rod and I secured tosaid central slat, said sheet being curved to conform to the curve ofthe slat.

2. A clip for a window awmng to be rolled up upon itself and unrolleddiagonally to project downwardly from above said window, which awningincludes a fabric composed of a plurality of slats of sheet metal eachhaving 1 longitudinal side edges curled in opposite directions, slatthroughout its length being curved between said edges, andinterlockingly connected together thereby, said 3 clip comprising asingle generally U-shaped rod of wire each having a central body portionshaped to lie in the curve of the slat and arms extending therefrom withlateral portions adjacent said central portion oflset in oppositedirections with respect to said central portion and the remaining endportions of said rod being bent in substantially parallel relation so asto extend into said oppositely curled side edges of alternate slats ateach end and interlocking curled portions of adjacent slats, a sheetmetal member of rectangular configuration folded upon itself to embracethe central portion of said wire, said sheet being curved to conform tothe curve of the slat, and means to secure the same to said slats.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

